Unexpected
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: About a week ago, I read a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald: "I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it's these things I'd believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn't all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything." (Belle/Regina) - Kathryn Claire O'Connor


_About a week ago, I read a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald: "I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it's these things I'd believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn't all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything." (Belle/Regina) - Kathryn Claire O'Connor_

_Thanks for the prompt, I don't normally write Beauty Queen but hopefully it's okay. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you all enjoy :) _

She doesn't know what it is that intrigues her so about her latest prisoner. Most of them she tosses in a cell without a second thought but this Belle is different. It's not just that she's Rumple's girlfriend and she can be a handy pawn. Regina could keep her locked up in this castle, alive and ignored if she chose and yet she doesn't.

The queen sighs as she looks in her mirror having dismissed her guards and maids for the day. She flicks her wrist looking on at her new prisoner still screaming that she will find a way out and obviously plotting an escape.

In spite of herself Regina grins at the tenacity. Most of the people who wind up in her cells either fight for a few days or resign themselves to their fate but not Belle. Regina can see the spark and determination in her eye. She's heard the story like everyone else has, the princess who gave up everything and surrendered herself to the dark one to save her people. Part of her, the part shrouded in darkness wanted to scoff at such a notion. The part of her that remembers saving a little girl on a horse, the part that longed to be good and a hero however admired her courage for defying those who tried to hold her back.

She watches on as the girl speaks aloud telling herself she will find Rumple and a way home.

Regina can only watch with curiosity. She captured Belle to spite Rumple, to taunt him the way he did when Daniel was ripped away from her. She even went round to his castle to give him gristly details of Belle's demise. _Now I can keep her to myself_.

She shakes her head of the thought wondering where it came from. _She's just a pawn_ Regina reminds herself causing the vision of Belle to fade from her mirror.

The weeks go by and yet Belle still doesn't give up fighting. The unrelenting courage should irritate her no end. In anyone else it would, then again anyone else would have given up by now. Many would have expected Belle too as well. She knows what her guards think, overhears their jokes about the young beauty and how long it will take her to concede.

If anything it makes Regina admire her even more.

Not that she admires her. Not even a little bit or so she tries to tell herself.

* * *

><p>It takes two months before the queen gives into her intrigue. She wants to curse herself for her own foolishness. She's dancing with danger and she knows it. This is Rumple's girl, her prisoner, merely a pawn and yet she's inviting her to dinner out of curiosity? Regina shakes her head reminding herself to focus.<p>

She wants to know why Belle hasn't given up.

For the intention of crushing her spirit of course. It's harder and harder to convince herself of the excuses she finds to go down to the cell and visit Belle. In her time of queen she has rarely graced the cells and yet something draws her down to that cell every day. Some mornings she stares. Others they talk, well if they can call it talking.

"You called for me?"

Regina turns at the bluntness of her question and smiles seeing Belle in the doorway, "Yes dear, have a seat."

Belle remains standing, "Why? I believe I have a nice comfy cell waiting for me," she replies with a pithy tone.

"Is that anyway to talk to a queen?"

"Have you considered that maybe I have too much self-respect to bow down to a woman who holds me captive?"

Regina's eyes sparkle at the fight in her prisoner and she strides to her dinner table, "Sit down dear."

"Why?"

"I'm offering you food," Regina replies, "Most would be grateful."

Belle shoots her a look, "Well some of us know to look for the hidden intention."

Regina nods, "Very well, I want some company and you'll do."

"Is that why you captured me? For some company?" Belle asks reluctantly sitting down and looking the queen up and down. Most regard her with fear but not Belle who sits across from her and studies her, clearly trying to analyse the emotions in deep caramel eyes, to unveil the real meaning behind this dinner.

It's not something either woman is ready to admit to themselves.

"No dear," Regina answers, "You're a pawn in a game."

"Oh goodie," Belle snarks, "Can I at least have something to read while I wait for you to use me?"

"Is that all you want?" Regina asks, "A book or two?"

"Well I'd like my freedom but something tells me you wouldn't grant that."

"Well observed," Regina replies, "Now eat something…please."

She watches Belle sit up a little straighter at the please before giving her a curious look. She waits for Regina to start eating. _Clever_ Regina thinks with a small smile knowing she'd do the same were the situation reversed. Belle waits a few moments before scooping some food onto her plate, anything would be a nice change from the bread and butter of the cells.

They eat in silence for a few more moments before Regina speaks again, "Why haven't you given up?"

"Pardon?"

"Why haven't you given up? Fighting? Most people have by now."

"I'm not most people," Belle retorts, "And some things are worth fighting for."

Regina nods remembering a time when she believed like that before she succumbed to the darkness tempting her. She meets Belle's gaze and for a moment sees a spark in them. She can't help but smile to herself seeing the determination in them and knows what Belle believes in, what she's fighting for and as much as she wants to crush that fighting spirit in others, as she and Belle continue to spar she can't help but want that spirit to flourish.

* * *

><p>"Should I just take up permanent residence here?" Belle asks as she walks into Regina's chamber. She's been called here every day for the past three months now. Regina smiles seeing her, a smile she no longer hides unless they are in the presence of others.<p>

She hears the talk of others, how they question her interest in the prisoner and Belle's character in itself. They go on about how Belle must be putting up a front and that she'll crack soon but Regina knows they're wrong.

She never meant for this to happen.

All she wanted was a pawn, a way to toy with Rumple the way he had messed with her when she was a vulnerable and heartbroken girl.

She never expected to fall in love.

"If you don't want to come you don't have to," Regina replies though she knows Belle won't leave. Belle tilts her head at her, "I think we both know that won't happen. Besides which where would I go?"

Regina stares at her intently, "I want to give you your freedom."

Belle looks at her in surprise, "You do?"

Regina focuses on her reflection trying to steel herself for Belle's departure. The thought of it hurts her more than she wants to imagine because she knows where Belle will go – straight back to Rumplestiltskin. She never meant to get in this deep, to fall in love with Belle. People mock for her courage and her self-respect, for the way she never gives up. They believe it to be false yet Regina knows it to be true.

Belle is unrelentingly herself and Regina couldn't help herself. She admired her character, the strength of who she is and then she indulged her own intrigue and before she knew it she was doing something she swore never to do again – she fell in love.

_No-one can love me _she thinks. She believes it too, why wouldn't she? She fell in love with Daniel and he with her and she lost him. She closed her heart off to try and protect herself but Belle, with her unending tenacity and spirit broke through the walls of her heart.

"Some birds aren't meant to be caged," Regina says so quietly Belle almost misses it. She hears the wistfulness in there and wonders if it's directed at her or the queen herself. She's fought hard for her freedom and yet now it's being offered to her she realises she doesn't want it. Belle steps forward knowing her next move could either bring her happiness or get her killed. It's a risk but some things are worth fighting for.

"What if there's nowhere else I want to be?"

Regina turns in her seat daring to look at Belle who smiles at her. She takes another step towards her and Regina rises, not with a queenly swagger but with hope and courage filling her heart. Before they know it they're closer than they've ever been. Regina has encroached the personal space of others before but that was too intimidate and this is so very different. She reaches out to caress Belle's cheek tentatively as if afraid the moment will be shattered when she does.

It isn't.

Instead Belle leans in to her touch before closing the gap between them. Their lips meet in a slow kiss and it's in that moment that Regina realises that falling in love with Belle was not the end of her but a new beginning.

_Thanks for reading :) _


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